5 Things To Know About Accenture Interim CEO David Rowland

A Titan Steps Down

Accenture CEO Pierre Nanterme -- who has lead the company since 2011, and sat on the board as chairman since 2013, while the company has undergone tremendous growth -- announced Friday morning that he is stepping down from both roles, citing ongoing health problems.

In July 2016, the executive revealed he was battling colon cancer, had undergone surgery, but stated he was recovering and still leading the company’s day to day operations. That changed with the announcement that he would step aside.

In his place, Accenture has named CFO David Rowland (pictured), a 35-year company veteran, as interim CEO. The company has not said whether or not a search was underway to find Accenture’s next leader, and a spokesperson did not return calls and an email for comment yesterday.

Accenture -- No. 2 on the 2018 CRN Solution Provider 500 -- has thrived under Nanterme, with net revenue growing 55 percent since 2011, when he took over. The stock price was up 6 cents to $147.10 after yesterday’s announcement.

As part of the news, lead independent director Marge Magner was named the company’s non-executive chair of the board. The company also appointed KC McClure, who currently leads Accenture’s finance operations, as chief financial officer.

What Rowland Said About Being Named Interim CEO

“I am very honored to serve as Accenture’s interim chief executive officer. I look forward to working closely with our talented, best-in-class leadership team, including (McClure) as our new CFO, to continue building on the strong momentum in our business and strengthening our market leadership in the New. On behalf of our 469,000 Accenture people around the world, I want to thank Pierre for his inspirational leadership and stewardship of our company. He has clearly left Accenture better positioned for generations to come.”

Rowland Gets A Vote Of Confidence From The Board

In a statement Friday, the new board chair Marge Magner endorsed Rowland’s skills and capabilities as he steps into the role of CEO.

“Looking ahead, David is the right choice to serve as interim CEO,” she said in the statement. “David brings deep knowledge of Accenture’s business, the global marketplace and the competitive environment — coupled with his unparalleled commitment to driving value for our clients, our people and our shareholders. I have personally worked with David for more than a decade, and he has the full support of the board.”

Rowland Fills In

After climbing the ranks for more than three decades, Rowland was named CFO in 2013. He is a member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee. He has also worked with the Accenture Microsoft joint venture Avanade, where he served on the board and on the audit committee as chairman.

Before he was named CFO, Rowland was Accenture’s senior vice president of finance for six years, and chairman of the company’s operations council.

Rowland’s Early Years With Accenture

Rowland graduated Georgia Tech with a degree in business in 1983 and then went to work for Accenture, landing a job in the consulting group.

During his climb, Rowland won leadership roles overseeing finances for the company’s operating groups, eventually becoming senior vice president—finance, where he took on the responsibility for the company's “Finance Operations organization, which included financial reporting and analysis, strategic planning and analysis and the global finance directors supporting the company’s operating groups and businesses,” according to his LinkedIn profile.

Awards and Recognition

Rowland is currently the chairman of the advisory board for Scheller College of Business at his alma mater, Georgia Tech. Between 2015 and 2019, he was recognized by Institutional Investors as among the top CFOs in Payments, Processors, & IT Services. In 2016, he was named best CFO on the “All-America Executive Team.” He also serves as a board member on numerous civic organizations and charities, according to his profile on the Accenture web site.